[dadipentak]

When, after 65 years, digital finally made it realistic for me to pursue photography (as I'd wanted to for many years), I assumed it would be AF all the way--what with aging eyes and all. I was wrong. Two years into it, I'm about 50/50: I love my MF lenses and manually focus my AFs a lot (low light, birds in branches etc.) I find it pretty surprising, actually.

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Last edited by dadipentak; 09-10-2009 at 03:39 AM.

[mtroute]

I have a love hate with both. I love the feel of focusing manually and the precise control I have, but my accuracy sucks. A dim viewfinder and crappy eyesight make it a challenge, even with the split focus screen upgrade. I have a magnifying eye piece on order now and we will see how that changes things.

I know I'm going to be missing AF, we have been instructed to do everything manually in my college class.
I do prefer to MF but the immediacy of AF is great when you see that fleeting opportunity.

[LensScribe]

I suspect I'd be fonder of AF if I had more suitable lenses. Aside from the kit and a FA 135mm all of my lenses are MF, even my 70-210/2.8, and lately I've been using Takumars almost exclusively. The result is that, when I do use the 135, I kinda wish it were better designed for MF - the focus ring sucks.

Still, AF certainly has its place. I don't really miss it, but I'm sure the right gear (or weakening eyesight in years to come) will make me use it more often.

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Last edited by LensScribe; 09-15-2009 at 11:43 AM.

[WMBP]

Would you give up your AF capability?

No, absolutely not. I could not work without auto-focus. I control it deliberately (using the AF button rather than half-press of shutter button) but I use it all the time. I manual focus only occasionally, and then only if I'm using the camera that has the Katz-Eye screen.

Will

[reeftool]

I certainly favor AF. My lens collection is about 50-50. As my eyesight changed as I got older I appreciate AF all that much more. When I manual focus, I am very slow even with a split screen. However I can't afford some of the AF lenses I would like so I will continue to use manual focus.

[mike3legs]

As I shoot alot of sports I use AF alot. However I have shot football (soccer) matches entirely with Manual Focus and got some great shots. It is blinking hard work though.

I'm not sure whether I miss more than the camera does, the K10d isn't quick for AF especially with the Pentax 60-250 f4. However I hope to get a K7 soon. That may be a tad quicker

[ricosuave]

i can deal with either AF or manual.
the trouble is when you hand your camera to someone else who not manually inclined.

[daacon]

I am an AF guy - play with MF but when push comes to shove I will use AF whenever I can (mostly never shot manual as did not join the (D)SLR world until a few years ago. I play with manual now and again but to answer the question I would not want to live without AF.

[heliphoto]

I'm with you - I MF quite a bit when it's needed, but I love AF when it works right. I recently spent a week without my K-7 as my battery was dead, and the charger appearently now belongs to some hotel (just got my replacement charger today - hooray!)... I've got to say that the best way to recognize the superiority of the K-7's AF is to spend a week shooting exclusively with the K20d - pathetic in comparison to the K-7...

[DavidWasch]

I don't mind using MF with my primes, but can't handle it with zooms. That is not to say that I am good with manual focus yet, but it helps me with composition-- with it I can better understand the depth of the scene.

[LensScribe]

...the trouble is when you hand your camera to someone else who not manually inclined.

Yes indeed. I try to only do so with something wide so that I can set it to hyperfocal and they can snap away without having to touch the focus Otherwise I just tell them to play with focus until the prism clears up (and hold thumbs).

[Michaelina2]

...I'd assigned it to the "oK" button - so I could use AF for initial focus & finish with manual when possible or needed.

Dave

That's how I tend to use it, too... I try not to hurry the shot, if the subject will let me.

Usually, it's the AF/OK button to get me in range, initially, then 'quick shift' fine tune manually, as needed. I do not depend on AF, or expect AF to be correct every time.

Also, it depends on the lens and setting. Lenses that naturally exhibit greater DOF, like wide angles, offer a greater margin for error in focus, so it's AF (say) 90% of the time. For more normal range lenses, it's AF about 50% of the time. Telephoto's get MF 95% of the time. As to setting.... lots of contrasty stuff around the subject will fool AF, so expect to do a manual fine tune.

Cheers...

[singlespeed]

so I can't give it up just yet. I didn't have an AF lens until I bought a K20D this past spring.

My eyes are getting older too - I need to start looking into focusing screens for the K20D so I can keep using my manual lenses effectively.

[stevebrot]

I learned with manual focus. As a result, it is pretty much second nature to use the manual approach. I have not experienced any age-related vision issues beyond presbyopia, so manual focus with the camera's diopter adjust and a good aftermarket focus screen is pretty easy. So:

When Do I Appreciate and Use AF?

• Snapshots
• Fleeting subject/conditions
• When focus point and focus accuracy is not critical

When Do I Appreciate and Use MF?

• When focus and/or DOF control is critical
• When using MF lenses (obviously)
• When conditions are outside the capabilities of the AF system
• When capturing the shot is critical with no hope of a repeat

Would I buy a camera that lacks AF? Well, sure...I bought two MF film cameras just this year. Would I buy a dSLR without an AF system? If there were a substantial savings in weight/bulk, I would definitely consider it. My dream camera would be a compact, K-mount, manual-focus dSLR with a larger sensor. Like they say...dream on boy...

Steve